NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover recently explored Mount Sharp. The mountain is 8km (5 mi) tall and is within the 154km-wide (96 mi) basin of Mars’s Gale Crater. Curiosity captured a new 360-degree panorama at Mount Sharp, revealing its diverse terrain and shedding light on the area’s ancient environment.
NASA writes, ‘Images of knobbly rocks and rounded hills are delighting scientists as NASA’s Curiosity rover climbs Mount Sharp, a 5-mile-tall (8-kilometer-tall) mountain within the 96-mile-wide (154-kilometer-wide) basin of Mars’ Gale Crater. The rover’s Mast Camera, or Mastcam, highlights those features in a panorama captured on July 3, 2021 (the 3,167th Martian day, or sol, of the mission).’
Studying the region has been a long-term goal for the Curiosity mission, which is now in its ninth year on Mars. By studying the layers of Mount Sharp, scientists hope to understand how the environment of Gale Crater dried over time. Similar changes in mineral composition are seen across the planet, so understanding Gale Crater should pay dividends in understanding other parts of Mars.
‘The rocks here will begin to tell us how this once-wet planet changed into the dry Mars of today, and how long habitable environments persisted even after that happened,’ said Abigail Fraeman, Curiosity’s deputy project scientist, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
‘NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this 360-degree view near “Rafael Navarro Mountain” on July 3, 2021, the 3,167th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Stitched together from 129 individual images, the panorama has been white-balanced so that the colors of the rock materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. A craggy hump that stretches 450 feet (137 meters) tall, the geologic feature is located on Mount Sharp in northwest Gale Crater.’ Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS. Click to enlarge.
When Curiosity landed on Mars on August 5, 2012, its primary mission was to study whether different Martian environments could have supported microbial life in Mars’s ancient past. Lakes and groundwater once existed within Gale Crater, and scientists want to use Curiosity to understand better what happened and how Mars changed over time.
Looking forward, Curiosity is currently working its way up a path between Rafael Navarro Mountain and a towering butte. In the coming year, Curiosity will drive past these features and enter a canyon. It will then revisit Greenheugh Pediment.
You can learn more about the Curiosity mission by visiting NASA’s dedicated Mars website. You can also check out some of our prior coverage, including Curiosity photographing rare shimmering clouds in June and a neat selfie Curiosity sent to Earth in March.
The post Zone Focusing: How to (Always) Capture Sharp Street Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by James Maher.
Do you struggle to capture consistently sharp, in-focus street photos? You’re not alone.
In street photography, consistently nailing focus, especially if you don’t have the opportunity to look through your camera’s viewfinder, can be insanely difficult (and often seems impossible).
That’s where zone focusing comes in.
You see, zone focusing lets you set your focus in advance. And then, when your subject steps into the frame, snap – you get the shot.
Not every street photographer zone focuses, but the ones who do swear by it. And while I use autofocus when I can, I swear by zone focusing, too.
So what, specifically, is zone focusing? How does it work? And how can you learn to do it for sharp photos?
All will be revealed in this article! Let’s get started.
Canon 5D Mark II | 17mm | f/11 | 1/320s | ISO 1800
What is zone focusing?
Zone focusing is a technique where you manually prefocus your lens to a certain distance and adjust your aperture for a deep depth of field. Then, when you’re confronted by an interesting subject, you don’t need to focus through your viewfinder; instead, you wait for your subject to enter your acceptable zone of focus and capture the photo.
Note that zone focusing is very flexible. If you like to shoot intimate portraits, you can zone focus just a few feet in front of your lens. And if you prefer wider shots with more distant elements, you can zone focus 10+ feet away.
Why is zone focusing so useful?
Zone focusing works to varying degrees in plenty of photography genres, but it’s most commonly used by street photographers for two major reasons:
When shooting on the streets, the world happens fast. Gorgeous photo opportunities slide by in the blink of an eye. If you take the time to focus, you’ll often miss the shot.
In street photography, putting a camera to your eye often makes your subject (and you) uncomfortable. So if you can focus without looking, you’ll be able to keep discomfort to a minimum while capturing more honest scenes.
In other words, if you’re a street photographer, zone focusing is an easy way to increase your keeper rate while keeping your photos perfectly candid.
Zone focusing and depth of field (dof)
Canon 5D Mark II | 28mm | f/4 | 1/250s | ISO 3200
Before I explain how to zone focus, it’s important that you understand the factors that go into creating a zone of sharp focus, also known as a deep depth of field.
As you may already be aware, depth of field refers to the zone of acceptable sharpness in a scene. So when you focus on a subject and you create a deep depth of field (more on how to do that in a moment!), your subject will turn out sharp – but so will a certain area in front of and behind your subject.
For instance, if you focus on a subject that’s 10 feet away, a deep depth of field would ensure sharp focus from around 8 feet to 14 feet, depending on your specific camera settings. Keep in mind that the area behind your subject that is acceptably sharp will always be greater than the area in front of your subject, and in many cases, it will be much greater.
What affects your depth of field? Three simple factors:
Aperture. The smaller your aperture, the greater the depth of field. So if you’re shooting at f/16, you’ll have far more in focus than if you shoot at f/2.8.
Focal length. Wider focal lengths create a deeper depth of field. So if you are shooting at 28mm, much more of your scene will be in focus than if you are shooting at 100mm. (This is why I rarely zone focus with lenses longer than 35mm.)
Distance to the subject (or point of focus). The further away you focus, the more depth of field there will be in a scene. So if you focus on a person 10 feet away, then you’ll have a deeper depth of field than if you focus on a person 3 feet away.
If you want to test out these different factors and see how they affect the depth of field in real life, check out this website, which offers a handy depth of field calculator.
How to zone focus: step by step
Canon 5D Mark II | 17mm | f/8 | 1/400s | ISO 1600
You can zone focus in three simple steps:
Adjust your camera settings for a deep depth of field
Prefocus your lens in the right area
Hit the shutter button when your subject moves into range
Let’s take a look at each step in greater depth:
Step 1: Adjust your camera settings for a deep depth of field
When zone focusing, you want the range of sharpness (i.e., the depth of field) as large as possible. That way, you have the most room for error, and you’ll end up with the most keepers. Plus, a deep depth of field will allow you to keep multiple subjects sharp, which is useful if you’re capturing a more complex, layered shot.
First, you’ll need to choose a wide-angle lens, such as 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm. My personal go-to focal length is 28mm, but any of these options work for zone focusing. Unfortunately, if you zoom any closer (50mm, for example), you’ll struggle to get a usable depth of field range.
Next, make sure your camera is set to Manual mode, and dial in a narrow aperture. I’d recommend working at f/8 and beyond – so depending on the light levels, you might use f/8, f/11, f/13, or even f/16.
Because zone focusing is often done with moving subjects (and you might be moving, too!), make sure your shutter is at least 1/250s, though higher is better, if you can afford it. And adjust your ISO to keep your exposure sufficiently bright.
Really, it’s the combination of the wide focal length and narrow aperture that’ll give you the deep depth of field you need, but it’s important not to neglect your other settings.
Step 2: Prefocus your lens in the right area
Now that you have your camera settings dialed in, it’s time to determine where you want to focus your lens.
Part of this should be personal preference and may depend on the context. For instance, if you prefer more intimate street portraits, you’ll want to focus a few feet in front of you. Or if you’re shooting in an environment where people are passing at a distance, you’ll want to focus farther away.
But it’s not just about artistry. Recalling the discussion of depth of field, you know that a closer point of focus decreases the range of acceptable sharpness. So if you want to maximize the chances of a sharp shot, it’s a good idea to focus far off in the distance.
Regardless of where you plan to focus, a lens with a manual focus display is a huge benefit here. I’m talking about something like this:
That way, you know exactly where your lens is focused (and you can consistently prefocus in the same spot).
If your lens doesn’t include a manual focus display, that’s okay, but you’ll need to spend extra time learning to estimate distances.
Step 3: Hit the shutter button when your subject moves into range
You’ve got the right settings, and you’re prefocused in the right spot.
Which means that all you need to do is take the photo.
Keep an eye out for interesting photo opportunities. Estimate your range of focus.
Then, when something interesting happens, wait until the subject comes into your focusing zone, then take a photo. The closer your subject gets to the center of your range of focus, the better (and don’t be afraid to capture multiple photos to maximize your chances of nailing a sharp shot).
A zone focusing tip: learn to guess distances
Zone focusing works really well, and if you’re shooting in bright light with a narrow aperture, you’ll have a lot of leeway.
But if you’re like me, then you often do street photography in less than ideal lighting, such as on the subway. And thanks to the poor light, you’ll need to widen your aperture – to f/2.8 and beyond.
What does this mean? Well, even with a wide-angle lens and a relatively distant subject, you’ll need to be very careful; your range of sharpness will be quite small.
Fujifilm X100 | 35mm | f/2 | 1/250s | ISO 3200
For this reason, you must learn to estimate the distances away from your camera’s lens, all the way up to around 12 feet. I suggest using a tape measure and measuring out the distances. Then just go out and practice.
Find different objects and try to guess their distance. Then, before you head out to shoot, pick an object at a known distance, focus on it, and use it as a sort of “calibrator” for all your future photos.
The other reason to get good at guessing distances? People move and scenes develop. You might want to capture a person walking toward you at 10 feet, then again at 5 feet. To nail both those shots, you’ll need to have one hand on the focusing ring, and practice manually focusing back and forth, from 10 feet to 8 feet to 6 feet and so on.
Eventually, you’ll be able to capture someone walking toward you at both 10 feet and 6 feet, without even having to look through the viewfinder. It’s an incredibly effective technique, and you can use it for some gorgeous results.
Canon 5D Mark II | 28mm | f/5 | ISO 1600
How to zone focus: final words
Now that you’ve finished this article, you should be a capable zone focuser – though I certainly recommend you spend some time really getting to know different distances (and how to accurately prefocus at those distances, too).
So head out with your camera. Have some fun with zone focusing. You’ll love the results!
Now over to you:
Have you tried zone focusing? What do you think? Do you like it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Table of contents
Street Photography
GENERAL
10 Tips for the Aspiring Street Photographer
7 Street Photography Rules That Should Be Broken
How to Approach Street Photography in 12 Easy Steps
50 Things I Try to Avoid in Street Photography
5 Questions to Ask Yourself to Help Improve Your People Photography
5 Exercises to Improve Your Street Photography
PREPARATION
7 Steps to Get Over Your Fear of Street Photography
How to Plan a Street Photography Shoot When Traveling
SETTINGS
Zone Focusing: How to (Always) Capture Sharp Street Photos
What is zone focusing?
Why is zone focusing so useful?
Zone focusing and depth of field (dof)
How to zone focus: step by step
Step 1: Adjust your camera settings for a deep depth of field
Step 2: Prefocus your lens in the right area
Step 3: Hit the shutter button when your subject moves into range
A zone focusing tip: learn to guess distances
How to zone focus: final words
What is zone focusing?
Why is zone focusing so useful?
Zone focusing and depth of field (dof)
How to zone focus: step by step
Step 1: Adjust your camera settings for a deep depth of field
Step 2: Prefocus your lens in the right area
Step 3: Hit the shutter button when your subject moves into range
A zone focusing tip: learn to guess distances
How to zone focus: final words
What are the Best Street Photography Camera Settings and Why
LIGHTING
There is No Bad Light for Street Photography
Make the Most of High Contrast Lighting for Dramatic Street Photos
COMPOSITION
The Importance of Capturing Gesture and Emotion in Street Photography
Seeing and Street Photography
13 Great Subjects for Urban Night Photography
How to Avoid Distracting Backgrounds in Street Photography
How the Square Format Can Enhance Your Street Photography
Tips for Minimalist Photography in an Urban Environment
How to Improve the Impact of Your Urban Images Using Lines
How to Use Framing in an Urban Environment
GEAR
5 Reasons Why Shooting With a Rangefinder Will Make You a Better Street Photographer
Pros and Cons of a Telephoto Lens for Street Photography?
The Five Key Features on any Street Photography Camera
Which Street Photography Lens is Right for You?
6 Reasons Why You Should Use a Standard Lens for Street Photography
A Look at the Fujifilm X100V in Action for Street Photography (video)
How to Use a Wide-Angle Lens for People Photography
Street Photography with $ 10 Ilford HP5 Film Camera
ADVANCED GUIDES
8 Advanced Street Photography Tips to Get You to the Next Level
Getting Close and Personal: 11 Tips for Close-up Candid Street Photography
7 Tips for a More Anonymous Approach to Street Photography
A Cowards Guide to Street Photography
6 Tips for Aiming Low and Going Unnoticed in Street Photography
9 Tips for Creating Great Street Portraits
Street Portraits vs Street Photography: What is the Difference?
17 Tips for Shooting Better Urban Portraits
What Makes A Great Street Photograph and How Do We Create Them
How to Tell a Story With Your Street Photography
In the Dark: 10 Tips for Street Night Photography
7 Tips for Urban Landscape Photography
A Street Photographer’s Guide to New York City
Urban Exploration Photography – Urbex
7 Tips for Capturing the Decisive Moment in Street Photography
A Common Misconception About Street Photography – Just Take Photos of People Walking
What do I look for on a Photo Walk? Part 1 – City Walk
8 Things You Should Know if You are Dating a Street Photographer
7 Ways to Become More Spontaneous with Your Street Photography
5 Essential Shots You Need to Get for Street Market Photography
Using Humor In Street Photography
Watch a Street Photographer Going about a Shoot [VIDEO]
Using Street Photography to See Beyond the Ordinary
CREATIVE TECHNIQUES
5 Tips for Shooting Glass to Enhance Your Street Photographs
Window Street Photography ~ Try Something New And Grow!
The Pros and Cons of Black and White Versus Color for Street and Travel Photography
4 Ways to Add a Sense of Motion to Your Urban Photography
7 Steps to Create Street Photography Silhouettes
POST-PROCESSING
How to Enhance Urban Night Photographs Using Luminosity Masks in Photoshop
13 Steps for Editing Street Photography in Lightroom from Start to Finish
How to Turn Day to Night Using Photoshop for Urban Landscapes
BUSINESS
Model Releases: Working with People on the Streets
INSPIRATION
20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography
30 Street Photography Images to Inspire You
33 Gritty Photos of Graffiti Street Art
28 Diverse Images That Showcase People Photography
39 Street Photography Images That Have Common Threads
Focus on Thomas Leuthard – Street Photographer
Focus on Street Photographer Eric Kim ~ In your face with a smile!
Focus on Chris Porsz ~ It’s All About The People
Focus on Scott Frederick – Urban Explorer
OPINION
The Uncomfortable Truth About Street Photography
Street Photography: Exploitative vs Respect
To be or not to be a Street Photographer
Consent in Photography – What to Think About When Photographing People
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The post Zone Focusing: How to (Always) Capture Sharp Street Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by James Maher.
The post Getting Landscapes Sharp: Hyperfocal Distances and Aperture Selection appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Elliot Hook.
Want to know how to master depth of field and hyperfocal distance – so you can capture consistently sharp landscape photos?
You’ve come to the right place.
Because in this article, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about hyperfocal distance.
And by the time you’ve finished, you’ll be able to confidently use it in your own landscape photography.
Let’s get started.
Keeping your landscape photos sharp: depth of field
Great landscape photos generally have all of their key elements sharp.
This includes foreground objects that are just meters from your camera, as well as background elements that are kilometers away.
In this scene, it was important to capture everything in sharp focus – from the frozen puddle in the foreground to the hills in the background.
So how do you achieve such perfect front-to-back sharpness?
By ensuring that your depth of field is large enough to render everything of interest suitably sharp.
Let me explain:
When you focus on an individual point within your landscape, you are creating a plane of focus that lies parallel to the sensor.
Everything in front of and behind that plane is technically not in focus. But there is a region within which objects will appear acceptably sharp – even though they’re not in focus!
That region is the depth of field.
Put another way, the depth of field is the range of acceptable sharpness within a scene, moving outward from the point of focus.
For instance, in the graphic below, the camera is focused on a rock:
A theoretical example showing the depth of field for a given focal length, aperture, and point of focus.
So the plane of focus sits parallel to the sensor at that rock, and the limits of acceptable sharpness that form the edges of the depth of field lie in front of and behind that plane.
If you were to fire the shutter button on that camera, you’d get a photo with a sharp rock. The front of the first tree would be sharp, and the rest of the trees would fade into softness.
Make sense?
Factors affecting depth of field
Thus far, I’ve talked about depth of field as if it were a fixed property.
But it’s not. Your depth of field can change depending on three key factors:
Focal length
Aperture
The distance between the camera and the point of focus.
Let’s take a closer look at how each of these elements affects depth of field, starting with:
Focal Length
A short focal length (e.g., 20mm) will give you a greater depth of field than a long focal length (e.g., 400mm).
So while it’s easy to keep an entire scene in focus with a wide-angle lens, you’ll struggle to do the same with a long telephoto.
Of course, changing your focal length will alter your field of view and therefore your composition, so you should rarely adjust your focal length to change the depth of field. Instead, select your focal length, frame your composition, and then use the next factor on this list to achieve the perfect depth of field:
Aperture
A narrower aperture, such as f/16, will produce a deep depth of field. A wider aperture, such as f/2.8, will give you a shallow depth of field.
So if you’re after an ultra-sharp, deep-depth-of-field shot, you’ll want to use a narrow aperture.
But be careful; extremely narrow apertures are subject to an optical effect called diffraction, which will degrade image sharpness. So while you should absolutely use aperture to adjust the depth of field, be on the lookout for blur.
Distance to the point of focus
If your focal point is close to the camera, then you’ll get a shallower depth of field. If your focal point is far from the camera, you’ll get a deeper depth of field. So if you shoot a distant subject, it’ll be much easier to get the entire scene sharp!
In other words:
To increase the depth of field, you can either choose a more distant subject…
…or you can back up to frame a wider shot.
Note that these three factors work together to determine the depth of field.
No one factor is important than any of the others; instead, they’re three variables in the depth of field equation.
So if you want a deep depth of field, you could use a narrow aperture or move farther away from your subject or use a wide-angle lens.
(You could also do all three of these things for an ultra-deep depth of field.)
And if you want a shallow depth of field, you could use a wide aperture or move closer to your subject or use a telephoto lens.
Keeping the entire scene sharp with hyperfocal distance
If you’re dead-set on capturing a scene with front-to-back sharpness, then you’ll need to understand another key concept:
Hyperfocal distance.
Hyperfocal distance is the point of focus that maximizes your depth of field.
In fact, by focusing at the hyperfocal distance, you can often ensure that the entire scene is sharp, from your nearest foreground subject to the most distant background element.
Look at the graphic below:
By focusing at the hyperfocal distance, the entire scene will fall within the depth of field.
Do you see how the area from the point (or plane) of focus onward is sharp?
That’s what the hyperfocal distance will do for you.
And it’s the reason landscape photographers love using the hyperfocal distance.
Because by selecting a narrow aperture, and by moving the point of focus to the hyperfocal distance, you can render the entire scene in focus – for a stunning result!
(By the way, when focusing at the hyperfocal distance, the near acceptable sharpness limit is half of the hyperfocal distance.)
Now, you’re probably wondering:
How do you determine the hyperfocal distance when out shooting?
Technically, you can do a mental calculation, but this can get pretty complex. So I’d recommend you use a hyperfocal distance chart or calculator (there are plenty of apps for this, such as PhotoPills).
Eventually, you’ll be able to intuitively identify hyperfocal distances for common apertures and focal lengths – so you won’t even need to use an app!
Aperture selection and the dangers of diffraction
As you should now be aware, a narrow aperture deepens the depth of field.
So if you want your entire scene sharp, you generally need a narrow aperture.
Unfortunately, choosing your aperture isn’t as simple as dialing in f/22. Thanks to diffraction, if you set such a narrow aperture, you may get the entire scene in focus – but still end up with a blurry image.
For example, the image below shows a comparison of the same scene, shot at f/8 (left) and f/16 (right):
The frosty fern leaf is an important part of the foreground interest here. And though both images look perfectly sharp when resized and compressed for browser viewing, the 100% crop for each image below shows a significant difference in detail:
The sharpness of the fern leaf at f/8 (left) versus f/16 (right). The image was captured with greater sharpness via a wider aperture of f/8 – though I took care to focus on the hyperfocal distance.
Do you see how the image on the right (taken at f/16) is blurrier than the image on the left (taken at f/8)?
That’s diffraction at work.
And note that, for the scene in question, both apertures resulted in a depth of field that extends from before the fern leaf to infinity.
(In other words: The blurriness has nothing to do with depth of field.)
Diffraction becomes an issue in all lenses as the aperture gets smaller, though it is more pronounced on inexpensive lenses. Typically, the sweet spot, in terms of lens performance, is somewhere between f/8 and f/11.
So when selecting your aperture, you’ll want to keep your lens as close to the sweet spot as possible, while also ensuring sufficient depth of field.
Getting landscapes sharp: conclusion
Now that you’ve finished this article, you can hopefully see that it’s worth understanding hyperfocal distance, aperture selection, and how they affect each other.
So make sure you find a nice hyperfocal distance app.
And remember to avoid tiny apertures (because they cause diffraction).
That way, you can get consistently sharp landscape shots!
Now over to you:
Do you struggle to keep your landscape photos looking sharp? Do you think an insufficient depth of field is the culprit?Or is it diffraction? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Getting Landscapes Sharp: Hyperfocal Distances and Aperture Selection appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Elliot Hook.
The post How to Take Sharp Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
Taking sharp images is something that most photographers want – but clean, crisp, sharp images can be difficult to achieve.
Before we start exploring how to improve sharpness, let’s talk about the main causes of a lack of sharpness:
Poor focus – The most obvious way to get images that are ‘un-sharp’ is by shooting them out of focus. This might be a result of focusing on the wrong part of the image, being too close to your subject for the camera to focus, selecting an aperture that produces a very narrow depth of field, or taking an image too quickly without checking that it is in focus.
Subject movement – Another type of blur in shots is the result of your subject moving; this is generally related to the shutter speed being too slow.
Camera shake – You can get blur if you, as the photographer, generate movement while taking the image. This often relates to shutter speed and/or the stillness of your camera.
Noise – Noisy shots are pixelated and look like they have lots of little dots over them (get up close to your TV, and you’ll get the same effect).
10 Ways to Take Sharper Images: Tips for Beginners
Here’s a list of 10 basic things to think about when shooting – so you can get consistently sharp images.
(Note: There’s also a lot you can do in Photoshop after taking your images!)
1. Hold your camera well
A lot of blur in the photos that I see is a direct result of camera shake (i.e., the movement of your camera for that split second when your shutter is open).
While the best way to tackle camera shake is to use a tripod (see below!), there are many times when using one is impractical, and you’ll need to shoot while holding your camera.
I’ve written a tutorial previously on how to hold a digital camera, but in brief:
Use both hands, keep the camera close to your body, and support yourself with a wall, tree, or some other solid object.
2. Use a tripod
Regular readers of this site will have seen our articles on tripods and know that we’re a big fan of using tripods as a way to reduce (and even eliminate) camera shake.
While tripods are not always practical, the result you’ll get when you do go to the effort of hauling one around can be well worth it.
RelatedArticle: A Beginner’s Guide to Tripods
3. Select a fast shutter speed
Perhaps one of the first things to think about in your quest for sharp images is the shutter speed that you select.
Now, the faster your shutter speed, the less impact camera shake will have, and the more you’ll freeze movement in your shots.
As a result, you reduce the likelihood of two of the main types of blur in one go (subject movement and camera movement).
But how do you pick the right shutter speed? I recommend the “rule” for handholding:
Choose a shutter speed with a denominator that is larger than the focal length of the lens.
So:
If you have a lens that is 50mm in length, don’t shoot any slower than 1/60th of a second
If you have a lens with a 100mm focal length, shoot at 1/125th of a second or faster
If you are shooting with a 200mm lens, shoot at 1/250th of a second or faster
Keep in mind that the faster your shutter speed is, the larger you’ll need to make your aperture to compensate (see the next section!). And this will mean you have a smaller depth of field, which makes focusing more of a challenge.
4. Choose a narrower aperture
Aperture impacts the depth of field (the zone that is in focus) of your images. Decreasing your aperture size (which means increasing the f-number) will increase the depth of field – meaning that the zone in focus will include both close and distant objects.
Do the opposite (by moving to f/4, for example), and the foreground and background of your images will be more out of focus. Therefore, you’ll need to be exact with your lens focusing.
Keep in mind that the smaller your aperture, the longer your shutter speed will need to be – which makes moving subjects more difficult to keep sharp.
5. Keep your ISO as low as possible
The third element of the exposure triangle is ISO, which has a direct impact on the noisiness of your shots.
Choose a larger ISO, and you’ll be able to use a faster shutter speed and a smaller aperture (which, as we’ve seen, helps with sharpness). On the other hand, this will increase the noise in your shots.
Depending on your camera (and how much you plan to enlarge your images), you can probably get away with using an ISO of up to 400 (or even 800 or 1600 on some cameras) without too much noise. But for pin sharp images, keep the ISO as low as possible.
6. If you have image stabilization, use it
Many cameras and lenses are now being released with different forms of image stabilization (IS).
Image stabilization won’t eliminate camera shake, but can definitely help reduce its impact. I find that using IS lenses gives me an extra two or three stops (i.e., I can drop the shutter speed by around two to three stops) when handholding my camera.
Keep in mind that IS helps with camera movement but not subject movement – so it’s not helpful in low-light action scenarios.
Also, don’t use image stabilization when you mount your camera to a tripod.
7. Nail focus as often as possible
Perhaps the most obvious technique to work on when aiming for sharp images is focusing. Most of us use our camera’s autofocusing, and this works well – but don’t assume that your camera will always get it right.
Make sure you check what part of the image is in focus before hitting the shutter. And if the focusing isn’t right, then try again or switch to manual focus. This is particularly important if you’re shooting with a large aperture (small depth of field), where even the slightest focusing error can result in your subject being noticeably out of focus.
Most modern cameras have a range of focus modes you can shoot in, and choosing the right focusing mode is very important. You can learn how to do that here.
8. Make sure your lenses are sharp
This one is for DSLR and mirrorless owners:
If you have the budget for it, invest in good-quality lenses, because this can have a major impact upon the sharpness of your images.
For example, shortly after buying my first DSLR, I was in the market for an everyday zoom lens that would give me the ability to have both wide and telephoto zoom capabilities. I bought a Canon EF 28-135mm lens. It was a good lens (and reasonably priced), but it wasn’t as sharp as some of my other lenses.
A few months later, I borrowed a Canon EF 24-105mm “L” lens (“L” is Canon’s professional series of lenses) from a friend, and I was amazed by the difference in sharpness between the lenses.
While the first lens was good for what I paid for it, I ended up going for an upgrade. The new lens is now almost permanently attached to my camera.
9. Get your eyes checked
Since I was young, I’ve worn glasses. But in recent years, I’ve been a little slack in getting my eyes checked.
Recently, I got them tested for the first time in a number of years, and I was surprised to find that they’d deteriorated significantly. Getting new glasses improved a number of areas of my life, one of which was my photography.
Also connected to this is checking the diopter on your camera, if it has one.
What’s a diopter?
It’s usually a little wheel positioned next to your viewfinder that lets you tweak the sharpness of the image you see when shooting. The diopter is particularly useful for people with poor eyesight, because you can use it to compensate for your vision (so you won’t have to remember to wear glasses when out shooting!).
10. Clean your equipment
Recently, my wife and I went on a window-cleaning frenzy at our place. Over the previous months, the grime on our windows had gradually built up without us really noticing it.
But when we did clean the windows, we were amazed at how much more light got through and how much better the view outside was!
The same can be true for your lens. Keep it clean, and you’ll eliminate the smudges, dust, and grime that can impact your shots.
Similarly, a clean image sensor is a wonderful thing if you have a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, as getting dust on it can produce noticeable blotches in your final images.
11. Use your lens’s aperture sweet spot
Lenses have some spots in their aperture ranges that are especially sharp. In many cases, the ultimate “sweet spot” is one or two stops from the maximum aperture.
So instead of shooting with your lens wide open (i.e., where the f-numbers are smallest), pull it back a stop or two, and you might get a little more clarity in your shots. Learn more about identifying your lens’s sweet spot here.
Further reading about how to take sharp images
Learn more about how to take sharp images with the following tutorials:
Advanced Tips for Tack Sharp Images
Getting Sharper Images – an Understanding of Focus Modes
How to Get Super Sharp Landscape Photography Images
9 Ways to Ensure You Get Sharp Images When Photographing People
5 Tips for Getting Sharper Images
The Secret to Ultra-Sharp Photos
5 Simple Secrets To Sharper Photos
Making Sharper Wildlife Photographs
The post How to Take Sharp Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
The post Stuck at Home? – Ways Still Life Photography Can Keep Your Skills Sharp appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
As I write this, many of us are holed up at home. So what can we do to continue to practice our craft as photographers, have a bit of diversion and enjoyment, and maybe learn some new techniques? I suggest you give still life photography at home a try.
Still life images like this were what painters often did back before there was photography. This shot needed no fancy equipment. The “light-painted” shot used only a flashlight and a long exposure. This is just one of the techniques you can try if you want to give still life photography at home a try. Canon 6D with Canon 50mm “nifty-fifty” lens, 5 sec. f/14 ISO 100
If you’re a landscape, sports, fashion, portrait, or type of photographer who does work requiring you to get out and about, working at home doing still life photos on the kitchen table could be a new thing. Still life? Really? Why? Well, stay with me here and we’ll explore all the things you can learn.
1. Composition
In much of photography, you deal with the scene as you find it. Maybe one of the best things about still life photography is you are in complete control. You pick the subjects, the arrangement, and the background.
Making a shot in a hurry before the moment passes isn’t an issue. You can take your time, practice compositional concepts like the Rule of Thirds, the Rule of Odds, leading lines, negative space, simplification, background choice, depth-of-field, and many other artistic concepts of composition.
You set the scene and are in complete control. Few other genres of photography offer such an advantage.
A simple photo that explores some of the standard composition rules – Rule of Thirds, Rule of Odds, Leading Lines, etc. The monochrome version simplifies the image even further, making the shot even more about shape, line, tone, and texture. Sony DSC-HX5V, 1/100 sec. f/10 ISO 125
2. Lighting
Let there be light.
You decide what type, how many sources, whether to use hard or soft lighting. Might some colored lighting using gels give the look you want?
How will you use light to draw the viewer’s eye where you want it?
Have you explored the use of reflectors, fill light, or “flags” to block light from certain portions of the scene? Do you know what a gobo or a cucoloris is? A shoot, grid, or gridded-snoot?
Still life photography at home lets you be the set and lighting director.
It’s all about the lighting. I photographed the clock in front of a computer monitor with clock-themed images on it. The clock itself, I light-painted with a flashlight. Canon 50D with Tamron 17-50mm lens, 10 sec. f/18 ISO 100. The kiwi slices were placed in a glass dish and lit from below with an LED flashlight. LG G4 cellphone camera, 1/30 sec. f/1.8 ISO 200
3. Explore camera angles
A distinction between a snapshooter and a photographer is the former sees a scene, raises the camera to their eye, and snaps a shot. Little thought is given to composition and most photos are taken from the eye-level of the photographer. Yawn.
In a world where we are inundated with images, making yours different is the only way to stand out. Finding perspectives others haven’t thought of is one way to do that.
Learn to see differently. This is a window blind shot as illuminated by the morning sun. The photo was then rotated 90-degrees counter-clockwise. Canon 6D with Canon 24-105 f4 Lens, 1/6000 sec. f/16 ISO 800
Rather than always shooting from eye or tripod level, mix it up. Get up and look down for a birds-eye vantage point. Get down and try a worms-eye view. Have you heard of a “Dutch-tilt”? Maybe try looking through objects, using them as frames for your subject.
Much of my photography is landscape work, so I’m a dedicated tripod shooter. The advantages of that are, of course, stability and repeatability. I can leave the camera in a fixed spot and move other things; the lights and subjects, use long and different exposures and have variations of the same shot.
There’s something to be said, however, for getting off the tripod.
Going handheld will help you move more easily and explore different angles. Whatever you do, let me repeat something I said earlier…work to make your image different.
See if you can identify these household objects. When doing macro, and seeing differently, even stuck in the house you can find subjects for still life photography. (Clockwise from top left – Canon 6D , reversed lens, 1/40 sec. ISO 400, Canon 6D w/ reversed lens, 1/40 sec ISO 400, Canon 6D with Tamron 90mm macro lens, 1/4 sec. f/32 ISO 1250, Canon 6D with Tamron 90mm macro lens, 1.3 sec, f/32, ISO 1250
4. Lens selection
Doing still life photography at home is a great time to explore how different lenses can give you different looks.
You won’t have to worry so much about dust getting on your sensor as you change lenses and you’ll have a place to put lenses down while you do change them (rather than fearing a fumble onto the ground).
Try some things. Note how a wide-angle lens emphasizes the size of objects nearest the lens, how a telephoto compresses space between objects, or how a wide aperture reduces your depth-of-field. Learn what the “sweet-spot” is of each of your lenses, that aperture where the lens is at its sharpest.
Table-top photography is also a great opportunity to play with prime lenses, moving the camera or subject rather than zooming. I’ve grown to love my little Canon “nifty-fifty” for use in doing still life photography at home. This economical little lens might be one of my sharpest.
Using my shell/beach-stone collection and a pair of my wife’s sandals I was able to make this product-photography-like shot. Note the camera angle looking almost straight down. Canon 6D with Canon 50mm f/1.8 prime lens, 1/80 sec. f/20 ISO 200
5. Get close with macro
If you’ve not tried macro photography, being sequestered at home is a perfect opportunity to give it a try. It requires practice, patience, and a controlled environment where you are in charge of the composition and lighting (and there’s no wind). Being able to slow down and pay careful attention is a real plus, as being meticulous is a key to making good macro shots.
Often, your cell phone camera can take a great macro photo. This feather was shot with my LG V30 cell phone.
So you don’t have a macro lens? Try some alternatives.
The reversed-lens macro technique is a great way to dip your toe in macro waters on a budget. You will also find that common household objects become fascinating subjects when photographed at a macro level. Just be careful – macro-photography is contagious.
Don’t have a dedicated macro lens? This extreme macro, (the drop was only about 2mm wide), was shot with an old Vivitar film camera lens. The lens was reversed and combined with three (12mm, 20mm, and 36mm) extension tubes combined with the reversed lens at 28mm. This is also a 2-image focus stack – one for the drop and the other for the flower inside. Extension tubes on my Canon 6D. 15 sec. reversed lens, ISO 100
6. Tell a story
When choosing your subjects for a session of still life photography at home, give thought to telling a story. Rather than just choose random objects, think like a movie set director using the scene to tell the story.
Use your objects, background, lighting, camera angle, and whatever other photographic tricks you can summon. Your objective is to make the viewer see the story in your photo. A picture can be worth a thousand words, if you choose those “words” carefully.
Carefully selecting your still life subjects can allow you to create a story. My titles might help you understand what I was illustrating here. “Awaiting Santa” – Canon 50D, Canon 50mm prime lens, .5 sec,f/5.6, ISO 100 , “Family Album Photographs” – Canon 6D, Canon 50mm prime lens, f/22, ISO 800 , “Doc Brown makes a housecall,” – Canon 50D, XX lens, f/XX, ISO XXX , “The Conchologist” – Canon 6D, Canon 24-105 lens, 1/6 sec. f/4, ISO 100
7. Simple is better
A photo friend once said something that has stuck with me about a good photo – “Anything that doesn’t add, detracts.”
It’s important that, with a glance, the viewer immediately “gets it.” Without even thinking, they know what your intended subject is and what you are trying to communicate.
Landscape photographers must find ways to simplify the scenes they photograph, but as a still life table-top photographer, you have complete control.
Carefully consider what to put in and what to take out, where to concentrate the light, what to leave in shadow, and what is in and out-of-focus. The strongest photos will be those with a single, powerful message.
Sometimes the simplest images can be the most powerful. Canon 50D, Canon 50mm prime lens, 8 sec. f/22, ISO 100. Frozen with flash. Ordinary objects can become much more interesting with dramatic lighting. This one was light-painted with a flashlight. Canon 6D, Canon 24-105 lens, 10 sec. f/11, ISO 100
8. Reflect on this
Reflections can elevate an otherwise ho-hum subject to a new and exciting level. When doing still life photography at home, a good method of creating a reflection is to use a piece of black plexiglass under your set-up.
Unlike a mirror, which will create two reflections due to the surface and the mirrored back of the glass, the acrylic sheet creates just one. Of course, the inventive photographer will find other ways to create reflections as well.
A piece of black plexiglass reflects the jar of marbles. The string of Christmas lights provides a background of bokeh highlights. Canon 6D, Canon 24-105mm lens, 1/8 sec. f/4, ISO 800
9. Bokeh and how to use it
“Bokeh” (however you pronounce it), is defined as the “blurred quality or effect seen in the out-of-focus portion of a photograph taken with a narrow depth of field.”
Still life photography is a great opportunity to explore how you can use it to simplify the background, keep viewer attention where you want it, and enhance the story you’re trying to tell. You can also try some special effects bokeh using patterns cut in pieces of paper and put on your lens. If you’re a shut-in frustrated photographer, why not brighten your day making some fun “bokehlicious” pics?
My Canon “nifty-fifty”, the 50mm f/1.8 prime which often isn’t much over $ 100 US, is one of my sharpest lenses. It also creates interesting bokeh highlights when opened up to a wide aperture. Canon 50D, Canon 50mm “nifty-fifty” lens, 1/25 sec. f/2.8, ISO 100
10. Food photography
Food photography is by its very nature, still life photography.
Top food photographers make good money by making food images look especially delicious. Study great food photos for clues as to composition, lighting, backgrounds, props, camera angles, and other tricks. Then see if you can emulate those tricks.
Maybe grab some cookies and a glass of milk, or a beer and some pretzels, and see what you can do to replicate great photo photography looks. Not only will you hone your photo skills, but when you’re done, you can have a snack.
Food photography certainly falls into the genre of still life. This is definitely something to try if you’re having to stay home. Canon 20D, Canon 50mm prime lens, 1/250 sec. f/4, ISO 200
11. For my next trick
Two different years I did what some call a “Project 52,” a photo assignment a week for an entire year. I made it a point to try some special tricks I’d never tried before – photographing smoke, water splashes, flames and sparks, and oil and water abstracts.
Using both long exposures, as well as the extremely short duration of a flash and a camera trigger, were things I learned.
If you need ideas, search dPS, or Google “creative photography” and see what catches your eye, then figure out how to do it yourself. Part of the fun of still life photography at home is using your creativity to make shots you’ve never before attempted.
Light for these shots is provided solely by the sparklers used. The long exposure allows for interesting light trails. Left – Canon 50D, Canon 50mm prime lens lens, 4 sec. f/11, ISO 100 Right – Canon 50D, Canon 50mm prime lens, 1 sec. f/11, ISO 100 Who says still life photos must be still? The “Raspberry Milk Splash” froze the action using the short duration of a speedlight, Canon 50D, Tamron 17-50 lens, 1/60 f/25, ISO 100. “Tumblin’ Dice” was a longer exposure with a second-curtain sync flash. Canon 50D, Canon 17-40 lens, 1.0 sec f/13 ISO 100
12. Advertising and product photography
Making the ordinary extraordinary is why skilled advertising photographers get paid the big bucks. Pick up a magazine and study the way common objects are staged, lit, and photographed. Then find some objects at home and see if you can emulate those looks.
What might look like a simple shot is often much more complex if you were to take a look behind the scenes. Don’t have a studio with a bunch of fancy lights and modifiers? No worry, see what you can do “on the cheap” with simpler lighting equipment. You might be surprised at how using brains rather than bucks can still result in a stunning photo.
When doing still life photography at home, remember that rather than having powerful studio lights or even Speedlights, you can simply increase the exposure time since your subject isn’t moving and you can shoot using a tripod. Small, inexpensive hardware store LED lights like these can work surprising well.
Something else to consider is making photos for items you’d like to sell on places like eBay, Craigslist, or other online sites.
Your item with a nicely lit and composed shot will attract much more attention (and perhaps even fetch a higher price) than a “quicky” snapshot someone else made with their cellphone.
If you plan to do a lot of this kind of work, you might also look into buying a simple light tent or perhaps making your own. For smaller objects, a collapsible light tent can be had for under $ 20.00 U.S. and will give you pretty good results.
Note the lighting set-up in the inset shot using just the cheap LED flashlights for illumination. When doing still life photography at home, learn how you can get big results with little lights. Canon 6D, Canon 24-105 lens, 3.2 sec, f/14 ISO 100I wanted to accentuate the “emergency feel” of this police badge and so used a blue-gelled light on camera left and a red-gelled light on the right. Canon 6D, Canon 50mm prime lens, 2 sec. f/20 ISO 100.
13. No travel required
Even in times when we feel more comfortable traveling, not all of us can get to the exotic hot spots where we see other photographers going. I’m not expecting to get to Iceland anytime soon.
When doing still life photography at home, that’s not an issue. No one is going to guess that the location where you took that really cool still life photo was your kitchen table.
I formerly wrote for another now discontinued online photo site, Improve Photography, and did an article called “Tips for the Non-Traveling Photographer.” I’d encourage you to have a look, as almost all of the images in that piece were done at home or within 20-miles of my house. Imagination can often take you much further as a photographer than a passport.
Stuck at home? Drag out that collection of whatever you might have and photograph it for fun. “Campaign Buttons” – Canon 6D, Canon 24-105mm lens, 6 sec. f/22 ISO XXX. “Foreign Coins” – Canon 6D, Canon 24-105mm lens, 2.5 sec. f/22 ISO 100
14. Exercise for photo fitness
Want to be more photographically-fit? The key is the same as increasing your physical fitness – work out more.
The key to being a better photographer is routinely making more photos, learning new techniques, and practicing. Waiting to pick up the camera until you go on a special trip, attend an event or make family photos isn’t going to cut it if you want to be good. Unless you’re taking photos at least a few times a week, you’re probably not getting enough “photographic exercise” to be a strong photographer.
No flash, but high noon sun, a reflector, an aquarium, a high shutter speed, a fast trigger finger, timing, some luck and a lot of tries were what was needed for this shot. I had a fun afternoon making all kinds of splash photos on a picnic table in the backyard. Canon 50D, Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens, 1/3200 sec. f/4 ISO 400.
These are unusual times. You may find you’re not able to get out as much, perhaps not even going to your regular job. So why not use that free time to keep yourself engaged, entertained, and further your photo education?
Try some still life photography at home. Shoot, review, repeat.
As you get better, do as you would with exercise, and make the next session more challenging. Then post your images online and here in the comments section of this site so we can admire your work.
Be engaged, be productive, be learning and growing as a photographer and above all… Until next time, be well my friends.
The post Stuck at Home? – Ways Still Life Photography Can Keep Your Skills Sharp appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
During last year’s CES event, Sharp introduced a Micro Four Thirds camera prototype simply referred to as the ‘8K Video Camera.’ Details about the camera at the time had largely come from Kinotika, which had the chance to spend some hands-on time with the model. The company was back with more details about this model during CES 2020 and this time they come from a video published by Personal View.
During the video interview below, Sharp’s vice president of New Business Development Cliff Quiroga revealed some details about the company’s 8K camera, which was demonstrated with a working model at the most recent Consumer Electronics Show. The camera will be able to record 8K/30p, 4K/60p and 1080/60p video, it was confirmed.
The latter two recording options will be at 200Mbits/s at 10-bit, according to the interview, which reveals that the camera will feature a full-size HDMI output port, a 14cm (5.5″) fully articulating touch LCD, headphone and audio jacks, as well as a mini XLR port. The camera was demonstrated with an 8K external display.
Sharp is aiming for an H2 2020 release date in Japan and plans to launch the camera in the United States at some point ‘shortly after that.’ The price is still expected to fall below $ 4,000, but additional details are still pending.
Electronics giant Sharp has officially joined the Micro Four Thirds system according to a press release on the Olympus global website. In the statement Sharp is identified as a ‘driving force’ behind 8K imaging, suggesting that the company will use the MFT system for its future camera systems.
Sharp has already shown a Micro Four Thirds prototype 8K camera at this year’s CES show back in January, so this announcement just confirms the company’s direction for the future, saying ‘Sharp will add Micro Four Thirds products to their line-up.’
For more information see the Micro Four Thirds organisation and the Sharp websites.
Press release:
Sharp Joins in the Micro Four Thirds System Standard Group
Olympus Corporation and Panasonic Corporation jointly announced the Micro Four Thirds System standard in 2008 and have since been working together to promote the standard. We are pleased to announce that Sharp Corporation has recently declared their support for the Micro Four Thirds System standard and will be introducing products compliant with the standard.
As the driving force behind 8K imaging technology and a product developer, Sharp Corporation now supports the Micro Four Thirds standard. In the future, Sharp will add Micro Four Thirds products to their line-up. The possibilities unique to a joint standard will expand the enjoyment of imaging further.
As the company responsible for initiating both the Four Thirds System and the Micro Four Thirds System standards, Olympus will continue to develop and enhance the product line-up to meet the diverse needs of our customers.
The post 5 Secret Tips to Take Sharp Photos Using Any Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.
How to take sharp photos is one of the most common issues a beginner photographer faces. In order to suggest a few important tips, I went back a few years and recalled the issues I used to come across.
Here are five tips I learned over the years to ensure I always take sharp photos using any camera.
1. Select Maximum AF Points
Every digital camera has a certain number of focus points, which are used by the camera to lock focus. By default, you can either allow the camera to use all the focus points or reduce them to a specific number such as 11, 9 or even one point.
I make sure that I am making use of all the focus points, to minimize the use of ‘focus and recompose.’ Keeping all the focus points active ensures that you get to use the entire focusing area on the sensor. Whereas, reducing the active focus points makes you focus and recompose the frame, resulting in soft focus.
2. 1-point AF
In the majority of situations, using single-point autofocus can help you nail the focus. Because if you allow the camera to lock focus as per its functionality automatically, there are chances that the focus might go off.
Assume you are taking a portrait, and in order to achieve crisp focus, you wish to focus on the eye of the subject. While using autofocus point selection, chances are, the camera might focus on the nose or the lips. The reason this happens is the camera does not know that you want to want to focus on the eye specifically.
Now by using the single-point autofocus feature, you can manually select the point where your eye is in the frame. Doing so, allows you to get the accurate focus on the eye, without any hit and trial method.
3. Back Button focus technique
There are some situations when you try to focus on a subject and the camera takes some time before you can fully press the shutter release button. Alternatively, when you want to take photos in Burst Mode the camera misses focussing on a few shots. You can eliminate these issues and achieve accurate focus by using the back button focus method.
The Back Button focus technique allows you to assign a button placed on the rear side of your camera to focus, and the shutter release button when pressed fully, captures the image.
While using this technique, you will realize that on pressing the shutter release button halfway, nothing happens. This is because another button using your thumb is now controlling the focusing.
4. Use of Shutter Priority
If you are a wildlife, action or sports photographer, there might have been instances where you were not able to freeze the motion of your subject. Moreover, if you shoot in low-lighting conditions, you might have encountered shake in your photos.
In any of the above situations, I make sure that I am using my camera on Shutter Priority mode. The basic rule that I start with is using the shutter speed 1/2x of the focal length. For example, while shooting at 50mm, I ensure that I start shooting by using 1/100 sec (1/2×50 = 1/100). In the worst situations, I reduce the shutter speed by 1-2 stops if my lens supports Image Stabilization.
Using the Shutter Priority mode ensures that your camera is using a specific shutter speed that results in no or minimum shake in the image. If you wish to freeze the motion of a moving subject, you can dial a fast shutter speed like 1/2000 sec and let the camera do the remaining math.
5. Take backup shots
The last important tip to get sharp photos would be to take a few backup shots during your shoot. Imagine if you are doing a commercial shoot and when you return to your editing desk you realize that the subject is out of focus or the image is not sharp.
Make sure that after clicking the desired photo, you take a few extra photos of the same frame. These backup photos reduce the risk and increase the possibility of getting sharp photos.
In the past 8-9 years, these five tips have helped me to nail focus in almost any situation and deliver quality work to my clients.
Do you have other tips? Do share your views in the comment below.
The post 5 Secret Tips to Take Sharp Photos Using Any Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.
Sharp made a surprising announcement during CES 2019 this week: it’s developing an 8K Micro Four Thirds camera, currently referred to as the ‘8K Video Camera.’ YouTuber Kinotika published a short hands-on video (above) with the prototype camera, but details are slim at this time. Sharp reportedly told CES attendees that it will reveal the model’s official specs in Q2, possibly at NAB 2019.
According to Kinotika citing Sharp employees at CES, the 8K Video Camera will support 8K video recording at 30fps in H.265 codec. The model, at least at this point in the development process, is also expected to offer a single UHS-II SD card slot, sensor stabilization, and a large 5-inch flip-out display.
Sharp reportedly stated that it is working on a 60fps recording option for a lower resolution, possibly 1080p. Other features present on the prototype include a full-size HDMI port, audio-in, USB-C, a microphone input, and a headphone jack. Assuming nothing changes by the time an official announcement takes place, the ‘8K Video Camera’ will have a sub-$ 5,000 price.
Unfortunately, the prototype wasn’t functional and additional details aren’t available.
Blur and creative photography – Why your images don’t need to be 100% sharp all of the time.
I have an image of a blueberry shot on the end of a spoon with my macro lens. It has a very narrow depth of field (DOF). Only the front of the blueberry is in focus. The rest has a lovely soft blur.
The first comment when I posted it on Facebook was ‘it would look better if it were all in focus.’
No.
There is a perception amongst some photographers who are very invested in the technicalities of shooting, that absolutely every image has to be 100% sharp. While it is an entirely valid choice – and I fully support the decision to shoot their images that way – it is not the ‘only’ choice.
For those of us who want to explore different creative styles, have fun with different lenses and push the boundaries of what photography can allow us to do in creating art, there are plenty of alternatives.
NOTE: To clarify, sometimes an image ‘just is’ out of focus for whatever reason. This article addresses the photographers deliberate creative choice to use softness or blur in a picture. It may be a subtle difference for some, but it is a difference.
Beyond Bokeh
It amuses me that many photographers believe all images ‘must be tack sharp.’ Still, they are out there taking photos of birds, portraits or wedding shots with very soft blurred bokeh backgrounds. However, the reasons they do so are perfectly valid.
Some photographers do so to:
soften a distracting background
bring the subject into prominence
make it aesthetically pleasing
give depth and 3D feel to the image
But for bokeh to work well, you need to have some specific elements present and happening. Such as decent quality lenses, a lot of distance behind the subject to the background, and good soft light. Not every shoot offers those situations, nor can everyone afford the best lens.
What if we want even more softness in our image, including the subject? Maybe we want the background sharp, and the subject blurred – a technique often used in some street photography styles.
What about ICM – Intentional Camera Movement? Or Wabi-Sabi, the Japanese/Zen aesthetic of the beauty of imperfection.
There are so many other ways to see the world and present our images with our unique creative viewpoint. If that means smearing stuff on a filter in front of your lens, then smear-away :).
Learn To Love the Blur
Bring your hand as close to your face as you can, so you can still focus on it. What happens to the background? If you shift focus to the background instead, your hand blurs.
Distant mountains are blurred as we physically cannot focus clearly that far away.
So its natural for blur to be present in our images. Therefore if we choose to use it more creatively to give our pictures a different feel or mood, we are enhancing a natural element in our world.
Painters can represent a tree in different ways depending on their technique and style. It may be rendered beautifully with every leaf painted as an individual element. It may have stark lines representing a trunk and branches, or colorful blobs in the background.
Photography can be playful, creative, stylistic and artistic as well. We can allow ourselves to love blur.
Intentional camera movement is popular with stands of trees, soft beach scenes, and fields of flowers. To enhance it, even more, some people stretch plastic film in front of the lens. Or wrap it around the front leaving a small opening to shoot through.
I know flower/macro photographers who wrap gauze fabric around the front of their lens for an alternative soft effect and to add some color as well. Stretching pantyhose across the front of the lens is also cheap and effective.
Smearing petroleum jelly on a filter screwed to the front of the lens is reasonably common for an effective soft blur effect.
Lens Choices
Lenses with an F stop of 2.8 to 1.4 give a very narrow depth of field, which highlights the subject and softens the background. Macro lenses are excellent for this effect.
Many portrait and wedding photographers will have an 85mm portrait lens with an F-stop in this range. Often specifically used to blur the background for a nice effect.
Lensbaby are well known for their special effect lenses. Their lenses offer lots of creative blur effects. The ‘Composer’ range allows you to select a specific point in the image to be in focus while softening the remainder. The ‘Twist’ range gives a swirly bokeh effect in the background, and there are other options too.
‘Helios’ and ‘Vivitar’ vintage lenses are experiencing a renaissance in popularity. They have many creative bokeh effects (including the swirl style) and are quite cheap in comparison to Lensbaby. They are vintage manual-focus lenses and may need a specialist mount to attach to your modern camera, but can they can be purchased at very affordable prices.
Vintage ‘Helios’ lens gives very swirly bokeh blur in this image
Have Fun
For some people, it can be scary to let go of the need for sharpness and embrace the softer side. Other people sit happily in that place and rarely shoot a classically sharp shot.
There is room within photography as a creative medium for us to be artistic. To let go of the perceived rules, relax and have some fun doing something different.
Yes, some effects are niche, and you may not want to use them all the time. But you wouldn’t use a Fish-Eye lens every day either.
Having a range of choices gives you much more scope to shoot differently, add your unique take on an image. Using different lenses can help us see the world in new exciting ways and open up opportunities to create memorable images.
Ways to Play
1. Bokeh
Bokeh relates to the quality and smoothness of your blurred background when you shoot the subject with a shallow depth of field. Different lenses give a varied type of bokeh. Usually, the better quality fast primes or macro lenses have the smoothest, most pleasing bokeh.
Bokeh happens when the subject is closer to the camera than it is to the background. Shooting wide open, i.e., F2.8 to F1.2 will give maximum blur of the background.
So try to shoot your subjects wide open with a narrow depth of field. With the background further away from them, you will achieve the nice soft blur.
2. Selective Focus
When you combine a narrow depth of field, such as F2.8, with selecting a specific part of the subject, it will soften everything else in the image.
Doing so creates a lovely effect with flowers and macro imagery.
3. Shoot Through
Place something in front of the lens to add some level of softness. It can either completely cover the lens or be wrapped around it to only soften the edges.
You can use:
nylons stretched across the lens
gauzy fabric wrapped around the lens
plastic film across or wrapped around the lens
filters smeared with petroleum jelly
hold fabric or flowers in front of part of the lens to add softness (common in flower photography)
4. ICM (Intentional Camera Movement)
Intentional Camera Movement is when the camera is deliberately moved during the shutter opening and closing to add blur to the image. A neutral density filter can assist with giving you a slightly longer shutter speed if shooting in daylight.
You may have seen this used in shots of forests with vertical stands of tree trunks.
5. Vintage Lenses
Try purchasing ‘Helios’ or ‘Vivitar’ Lenses (or other options) and related mounts for your camera. Many of these lenses have unexpected visual effects (sometimes seen as a fault) but can be used effectively for creative shots.
6. Specialty Lenses
Lensbaby offers a range of lens solutions to give you a variety of soft effects.
Lensbaby Velvet 56 at F1.8 is very soft and adds a glamour effect
7. Filters
Soft Focus filters get screwed in front of your lens and are useful in portrait and glamour work. Otherwise, many people mimic this effect in post-processing via Photoshop.
Conclusion
For those who strive to have every image as sharp as possible, continue with your efforts. If you who want more variation, flexibility, and creativity in your work, there is space to play and create that style of an image too.
It doesn’t have to be expensive. The vintage lenses can be bought online for under $ 100 (depending on freight and exchange rates).
Give yourself permission to relax, experiment and play, and create something unique!
Come over to the soft side. We like it here!
Share your images with us in the comments below.
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